Elite Traveler Fall 2023

Over to the right, across a roiling restless expanse of deep inky blue, the last mist-shrouded fi ngers of the British Isles are grasping at the North Atlantic. Dead ahead, a shaft of sunlight scythes through the clouds, splaying a carpet of silver across an otherwise uncompromising ocean, while to the left, a vast aquatic emptiness vanishes into an in fi nity of gray. The view from Deck 10 of the Seabourn Venture as it sets sail from Shetland is unassailably spectacular. Seabourn began life in 1986 as the Yachts of Seabourn, inspired by the opulence of private yachts. Passenger numbers are low, sta ff -to-guest ratios high, and service exemplary. Seasoned Seabourners now form a select secret society of the high seas. My own An Icelandic venture

when accessing the Zodiac in fl atables. An array of 24 experts ranges from sea kayaking instructors and historians to ornithologists and marine biologists. There isn’t an activity or ‘ology’ that isn’t covered. The Restaurant and The Colonnade are the two dining options, where an elevated all-inclusive gastronomic o ff ering is embellished with complimentary wines. The Seabourn dress code is absent (some sailings require a tux), but so is Thomas Keller. The multi-Michelin-starred chef operates The Grill by Thomas Keller on Seabourn ships — though, sadly, he doesn’t squeeze onto this one. Keller’s own-brand caviar, Regiis Ova, however, remains readily available.

sailing from Edinburgh to Reykjavik, has plenty onboard. Venture , launched in 2022, is Seabourn’s fi rst purpose-built expeditionary ship and, at 564 ft and with just 132 suites, perhaps aligns more readily with the original private yacht concept. It’s also a thing of beauty. Maybe it’s because she was born in an Italian shipyard, but whether lying in some far- fl ungbayor docked alongside a rusting container ship, she manages to look as e ff ortlessly stylish as only a true Italian can. The design enables all guests to easily congregate together, whether in the Discovery Center for daily brie fi ngs and entertainment, in the main restaurant, or

Photos Seabourn